


That Would be Enough

by mandaree1



Series: Endgame AU [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: (it has no effect on this I promise), Agates have stripes, Defective Gems, Endgame AU, Gen, Holly has squiggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 00:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13775499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandaree1/pseuds/mandaree1
Summary: Companion piece to 'History Has its Eyes on You'. Holly Blue has lost her capulet, and losing said capulet has minor ramifications.





	That Would be Enough

Holly Blue trailed behind the rest of the Famethyst; tired and bruised, but not beaten. It was mostly the principle involved in surrounding herself with them. Going up front was a no-go, with the defect and the human leading the charge, and they were even worse company for an Agate to partake in than the others. And she really was bad at navigating this stars-cursed land they called a mountain. So trailing it was.

Sighing to herself, Holly braced her shoulder with one hand and turned with the other. Maybe she wasn't made of the same fleshy bits that the Renegade was, but she still had to deal with aches and pains. She figured it wouldn't hurt to show that one bit of weakness. She'd already lost her capulet; might as well take the whole plunge, you know?

Her finger brushed a deep, gouging line in her shoulder, and suddenly she remembered exactly why she wore that capulet in the first place, despite losing the respect she once had- if she'd ever had any in the first place. Holly jerked forward instinctively, burying her teeth in her arm to avoid gasping out loud. Her nails dug in. It was far too late to pretend no one had seen it, and she was shoddy at shapeshifting.

Crap.

* * *

Holly sat on the very edge of the cliff outside the lighthouse, watching with no particular relish as the sun began to sink in the sky. She typically could admire the Earth's innate beauty, if nothing else, but it's hard to appreciate much of anything when she knew her little secret was out. She sucked in a deep breath.

It's not her fault she looks the way she does. For that matter, it's not even the mistake of some incompetent Kindergartner, new to their job or just generally uncaring. She was a rushed batch. They knew she wouldn't look pristine and pretty. _She_  knew she wasn't pristine and pretty. Holly just preferred to keep that information to herself.

She heard Skinny coming before she spoke. After a couple thousand years, you learn a Gem's footsteps. She could even imagine the look on her face; the half-lidded eyes, the pouty frown, the crossed arms.

"So," she said. "You're defective."

"That depends on what you consider defective," she returned, voice strained. "I'm as capable as any other Agate."

"Congrats." The word came out breathy as the Jasper sunk down next to her, hips brushing. Holly watched her out of the corner of her eye, waiting to see her next move. Skinny was one of her more venomous objectors, and it really wouldn't surprise her if the Jasper tried pushing her off. "But you're still defective."

"In a sense," Holly agreed, but also didn't, because she liked being stubborn over being honest.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

She snorted. "I'm not an idiot."

Skinny rolled her eyes. " _Right_."

"I'm serious," Holly insisted. She dug her fingers into the grass behind her, ripping out a chunk of soil with ease. "I can be oblivious, and overconfident, and smug." She chucked it into the ocean, leaving smears of dusty brown dirt on her blue skin. "But I'm not an idiot."

"I'm shocked you even know that about yourself."

"It was on my last report."

"Are you serious?"

"Completely." Holly chucked another patch of dirt into the ocean, scowling. "And I  _am_  familiar with the term 'hypocrite'."

"Touche," Skinny said. "It makes sense, though. Putting a defective Holly Blue in charge of a rag-tag team of Diamondless Gems, some of which  _just so happen_  to be defective."

"I recognize that."

"You always seemed to think you were better than all that."

"I was. I am. My capulet covered my imperfections, so I had a greater shot at the big-time." Holly let out a long sigh, massaging the bridge of her nose. "Or so I told myself. I don't really know anymore."

Skinny leaned back. "Lemme see."

Holly shifted away. "I'd rather not present my back, thank you very much."

"Afraid I'll try and shatter you?"

"It's not out of your ability."

"Never said it was. But killing you would be waaaaay too simple for this twisty and convoluted thing we've got goin' on between us." The Jasper gestured for her to turn around. "So relax."

Holly decided to take the middle ground, if only to fend off any other questions, and hiked her black shirt up, covering her gemstone up from her view while baring something a tad more personal. She knew how the average Holly Blue Agate looked- orderly lines around the midsection, carefully tucked between the pants and shirt-like forms. She looked more like someone had drawn all over her with what the human would describe as a crayon. Again. Bad batch.

"Neat," is all she had to say on the matter. Holly felt her tracing some of the squiggles. "It's like those acne scars I see on humans."

"What is... acne?"

"I dunno, but they leave little dips and stuff. It's neat."

"I'm beginning to have concerns about humans."

"Haha, _nice_."

"Nice?"

"That you're concerned." Skinny tapped her shoulder and Holly turned back to the side, letting her shirt fall back down. "It shows you are capable of personal growth."

"I'm both warmed and offended by that," Holly replied honestly, just a little baffled.

**Author's Note:**

> IDK, I just wanted to write some Holly, and now I'm here.
> 
> -Mandaree1


End file.
